They obviously didn't play it very long. It made it to the US from Serbia in just 9 days. I'm very impressed. The build quality on this thing is just phenomenal. I'm thrilled. Can't play it though because the silly Europeans use different plugs and I need to buy a travel adapter...

My LNG is basswood; it just goes to show that just because a guitar is made of basswood, it doesn't mean it's cheap or inferior. The SH12 is a strange pickup. Have you played one for yourself? The name really makes it sound like something it's not.

So lately, I've been acquiring gear at what seems like an astronomical rate because it seems people are practically giving stuff to me. The Jem LNG, Washburn SS40 an Orange cabinet and like 6 pedals have been acquired since Christmas... Now I've got this little guy! Or I will I should say; it's due any day now as long as it's not held up in customs.

It's a Soldano SLO clone built by my buddy Bancika in Serbia. It's actually the smallest wattage SLO that I know of at 4.8W.

I hear a lot of effort, adding rasp, trying to sound like you think the music wants you to sound.

The #1 most important thing from a singer of popular music is honesty, and this doesn't sound honest. Your pitches are pretty good (I noticed one or two errors) but the big thing is that you sound like you're trying to sound like somebody else.

I suspect this is an example of the inexperienced-singer error of focusing on timbre rather than solid fundamentals, but don't know for sure.

I mean, I guess this is fine for a cover band, but I think there's a more interesting singer inside you.

I can sing other things, i'm actually a pretty big Daughtry fan and cover a wide variety of other types of rock. It's just not what i'm looking to do here. I've worked on the fundamentals, and believe it or not, I've come a LONG way because of it. It's taken a while to get the rasp under my belt. Actually, longer than I care to admit. However, I feel like i'm in a good place at the moment. I understand what you're saying about being authentic. I think the poor laptop mic recording played a part in this. I'm also trying to hard; you're right. I love the way Jon's voice sounded circa 1989 and I suppose i'm trying to mimic it. I've still got a very long road ahead and I think I need to work on something that is strictly "my own".

For comparisons sake, this was another song by Jon a year ago. I think I've come a long way. This rasp was from the throat before I knew what I was doing. I can't wait to see what this next year holds.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ZWNVHDH5O0

Hey man, I really appreciate the feedback. You have no idea. I'm incredibly picky with singers hence why we don't have one haha. My range is something i'm pretty proud of. I can do a pretty wicked Jim Gillette (Nitro) scream \M/ When I first started, I was pulling the grit from my throat. However, i've since been working with it a lot and a lot of what you heard in the clip is from the soft palate. No recordings yet, we're still just getting off the ground. Hopefully we'll have a Dokken clip up soon

Hey guys, i'm considering starting a band here at college and we're down a singer. I've always been a closet singer and i've never actually had the nerve to perform in front of anyone. We're an 70's and 80's rock band so I did a Bon Jovi clip for you guys. Let me know what you think please!!! This was recorded with the mic in my laptop in another room so stick with me.

Looks like the standard line is making a step in the right direction. Those are all great new features, except.... the freaking '61 pickguard! I can't stand those things. Bring on the batwinged monster.

I haven't got to play one of these yet. Although, I did get my hands on the new Premium Jem 70V and I wasn't impressed. I heard the premiums are hit and miss though. Sounds like you got a good one. HNGD!

Awesome guitar. Awesome story too. I've been looking for an older pre '71 SG, so this is right up my ally. I would stalk ebay and look for the Lyre Maestro vibrola cover that yours is missing. It will definitely clean the whole guitar up a bit. HNGD! Enjoy it and thank your dad.

I suggest you go out and play a couple of models and pick what resonates with you. My RG550 has a block heel. My LNG heel has a slight variation of the block heel and my other Jem has an AANJ. I personally prefer the LNG's neck joint out of all of them. I have bigger hands and the thicker joint just feels more natural.

I have a road flare RG550R and I love it. It plays just like my LNG and costs considerably less. It's my go to guitar and is the one I play everyday. Edge/Lo-Pro edge tremolo's are tough little creatures and it takes a LOT of abuse and neglect to kill one. Basically, just look for a guitar that's in great shape. No locking nut fractures and no excessive dents/chips/gouges etc... With a budget of $500, you should have no problems getting a nice DY. If you're afraid to purchase one from the bay or a site, post it up here and we'll give you our opinions.

There aren't any guitar centers where I live, although, we do have several local shops. There's a shop called "Music City" and i've had nothing but terrible experiences out of that store. More than I care to mention now that I think about it. I'll give the first couple off the top of my head. Obviously, i'm the real idiot for stepping back into that store time and time again.

#1Was looking to buy my first real guitar, a Gibson SG faded. I've always had a soft spot for them and the name appealed to me at the time (I was 13). I walk in with my mom and asked if I can try out one of the faded SG's. Guy comes over and says no problem and gets the guitar down for me. First thing I wanted to check out was the guitars resonance unplugged. The guy is puzzled why I didn't want it plugged in. Before I even begin to play (I have my back turned to the guy and my mom) he mentions that I should be plugged in and that electric guitars have things called "amplifiers" that should be associated with them. He then shows my mom an Epiphone SG special starter pack and swears that it's a phenomenal package. I put the guitar back up on the wall and told my mom I was ready to leave. They both looked puzzled and I said that I would simply buy online.

#2: MC is the only Mesaboogie carrier in my town. I was going with my friend to the shop because he was wanting to buy what was at the time the brand new Mesa TA-15. We walk in and the holy pony-tailed warrior is still there; almost four years later. My friend brought his guitar in and asked me to play it for him (I've been playing much longer than he has) and to give him my thoughts. However, I wanted to try the OR 15 as i've been wanting one of those for a while. The guy comes over and plugs me in and stands right beside the amp. I was talking to my friend about how I would like one. The guy never leaves. I then ask if we can play the new TA-15 as my friend was thinking about getting one. He gives me a disgusted look and says that the owner doesn't appreciate kids playing the gear if they have no intent of ever purchasing it; in his pissed off whiny monotone of a voice. My friend just looked at me and then at him and told him he had just lost a sale.

#3 I had my mint JCM2000 DSL up for sale with a Mojotone cabinet on Craigslist. I get a call from MC like a week later saying they would like to purchase the whole setup. I said great, and had the whole 4x12 and head loaded up within an hour and was out the door. I get up there and the owner comes out and says "wait, I thought you had a Marshall cabinet" and I said the listing and the pictures were clear of what I have. He said "Oh, I was busy when the guys showed it to me, so I must've missed that". He says he's still interested and that he wants to play it. Plays it and says, now how much do you REALLY want for it. I gave him a great price right up front since I know that he has to make money too. He says that isn't going to work and that he needs to check something. Comes back and tries to feed me "what they're going for on ebay" and drops the lowest price sold. I knew that the amp that sold for that had no working reverb and the 2nd channel was screwy. He then gives me more bs and then completely lowballs me. Like under the basement lowball. He essentially wanted me to give him the cabinet and $100 fair market off the head. He then says well, I'm sorry we couldn't make a deal. I'll have one of my guys help you with your stuff when they get a second. I eventually just carted it out by myself and left.

#4 On the last occasion, I went to buy picks as I was out and didn't want to wait for shipping and these guys carry them locally. I mentioned I wanted a <5w dorm amp, and the pony tailed wizard insisted that I take a look at the new 1w Orange "all tube" head. They're actually 20w with a SS power amps and are aweful... He then told me how great "tube" sounds are and that tube amps are better than average amps and that this was better than any of the other small wattage amps out there and that Orange basically pioneered the idea of a low wattage tube amplifier. I let him finish and didn't say anything to him and walked over to the counter and bought my picks and left. I believe that's going to be my last visit to that store ever if I can help it.

Hey gang, I took some notes from the last video I did for you guys. I haven't had really anytime to work on singing much lately, but I broke back into it tonight when I had the house to myself. I recorded an excerpt of Blaze of Glory by Bon Jovi and just kind of went with it. I recorded this with a less than accurate karaoke track and my laptops mic. The chorus is all butchered up; I know. I got two takes in before everyone came home. If I had more time, I think I could've done it some more justice. Anyways, what's your take on this? Thanks in advance!